Barclaycard launches the market's longest 0% spending card in over two years - here's how it compares

Used right, 0% purchase cards allow you to pay off debt over a long period of time without having to pay interest. While useful, only get one for a needed, one-off purchase and never use one to fill income gaps. You should also budget to clear the card before the 0% period ends - and always make at least the monthly minimum repayment.

Below we go into more detail on Barclaycard's new best buy, though you can also see our 0% credit cards guide for a full run down and use our eligibility calculator to see the cards you've the best odds of getting before you apply.

If you're struggling with debt, avoid more borrowing – and instead read our Debt help guide.

Get up to 25 months at 0%, though some won't get the headline deal

0% purchase periods have been slowly increasing in length since the pandemic, and Barclaycard’s Platinum card is the latest to top the rankings at up to 25 months interest-free.

There is a major caveat though as not all applicants will get the headline rate. Unless the card shows as "pre-approved" in our eligibility calculator, you could get just 12 months at 0% interest on purchases. So ensure you use our eligibility calculator before applying if you're keen to get the longest 0% spending period possible.  

An alternative is the M&S Bank Shopping Plus card, which offers 0% interest on purchases for 24 months, so one month less. However, unlike Barclaycard, here everyone accepted gets 24 months at 0%. Plus, it has other perks including M&S points on spending and £25 cashback if you spend £250 or more in five or more transactions in the first 90 days. 

For more options, and our golden rules to follow, see our Best 0% spending cards guide.

You can also shift debt to these cards at 0%, but there are better options

If you pay interest on existing credit or store cards, a balance transfer lets you move debt to a new card but at 0% interest – so then your repayments will clear what you actually owe rather than servicing the interest.

Barclaycard Platinum offers 0% interest on balance transfers for up to 22 months, while M&S Bank Shopping Plus gives you 24 months at 0% - both with a 2.9% one-off fee.

If you NEED to borrow further, then these are decent offers (see our all rounder cards guide for full help). However, you can get much longer 0% periods with a dedicated balance transfer card, including from Sainsbury’s Bank, which gives you up to 34 months interest-free with a one-off fee from 2.88%. 

Check out our balance transfer cards guide for more details.